Who woulda thunk it?
18 years past the worry of Y2K and we’re still here, relatively in one
piece.
Wars, strife, political nonsense and global warming are still with us.
What will the future bring?
In “westernized” countries things are changing. Many have
lost common sense it would seem.
Then, throw in the fact we’re all getting older day by day...
Yikes!
I know what you’re thinking- “What kind of a bloody Christmas Greeting
is this?”
It’s just that these days it’s hard not to think about the next 30
years- or less, not to mention the present.
Like the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Be- it’s a pain in the buttocks when
you think about it-
Life’s a bitch and then you expire.
Simple.
We all have an expiry date.
Some sooner than others.
The thing is, we all have to make the most of the time we have
left on this earthly plane and Christmas and the Holiday Season
is one of the best ways to make the most of life and living. It offers
the opportunity to re-charge our batteries to prepare for
the year ahead.
Who the Hell knows what that will bring?
I don’t and I am pretty sure you don’t- although we can all surmise...
Here on Vancouver Island life continues. Tom and I have met oodles and
oodles of new people.
In the past week we have entertained more than 60 of them in our new
home- Palm Villa.
These are people who have made room for us in their lives since we
arrived on this Island one year
and four months ago.
We are grateful to one and all.
Along with new friends and neighbours in our life, we have also been
left to deal with the passing of old friends and family members. I still
find myself wanting to pick up the phone a couple of times a week to hear my
Cousin Judy’s voice and infectious laugh.
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| Jude trying on a new pair of readers |
Tante Kristel left us a few months ago. She lived a “life” in Berlin,
Germany. Her jokes and laughter will always echo in our heads. I will never
forget her stories of Berlin during in WW II and how they had to live under
Nazi rule.
I miss Sue e-mailing now and then to ask me- “Is Swisssh off the air?”
“No”- I usually replied. “Just refresh your page or maybe re-boot your
computer.”
At our house, we still enjoy the love from Koko- Our Mini Schnauzer and
Dickens our orange and white tabby. We are still expecting to hear that
our Orange Cat Doyle- Dicken’s Brother, has been found in Winnipeg.
Possibly he’s been living with a nice family who had taken him in after he
jumped from our RV- Priscilla, a year ago August. Some days, we give up all
hope, then, other days the glimmer grows to a bright light when we see an
orange cat on the Winnipeg Lost and Found Cats Facebook Page.
As with every Christmas, we remember all our four-legged family members:
Samantha, Max, Lucky, Luma, Samantha II and Kiki- our special Yellow Lab who
passed at 17 years of age, five years ago now.
Our biggest heartbreak this year was saying goodbye to our precious little Schnauzer- Missy.
Whiskers Miss Samantha Rose.
Her full name.
Missy left us on the Sunday following Labour Day. We reluctantly sent
her on her journey over the Rainbow Bridge. She passed in our arms. Free
from pain and discomfort now.
There were many tears and huge sobs. She was such a sweetheart and she
tried so hard to stay with her Dad’s in her new house on Vancouver Island.
I have to stop now...
Our Home in Duncan in the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island is roomy
and very comfortable. We have more than 1200 square feet of extra room in this
new home than Pine Tree House afforded us back in Ontario. Last Christmas
we had just settled in and were still unpacking boxes and getting to know the
community or at least finding our way to the 49th Parallel- an Island Grocery
Store.
Our yard is now landscaped and gardens planted.
We have two Palm Trees, two Magnolias, various grasses, three or four
banana plants, a yucca cane and other evergreen plants indigenous to the
Cowichan meaning- “Warm Land”.
In the past two days there is snow on top of Mount Prevost which we see
from our Lanai. It’s very pretty and about as close to snow as we get here in
this Mediterranean Climate. Temperatures are mild and moderate. It’s not
tropical but only two days ago it was 14c. Our overnights are about 4 or 5
degrees Celsius Occasionally, we get a brisk evening and we see a light frost
on rooftops but that’s about it.
At this special Holiday Time of the year, Tom and I want to wish you all
the best.
Warm Christmas wishes for a wonderful Holiday Season with your family
and friends.
Those of you who were friends and neighbours over the past 25 years
in Orillia, Ontario and before that in Mississauga, Ontario are missed, as are
colleagues in both the Broadcasting and the Airline Industries.
We may be three time zones and thousands of miles away but we will never
forget you. Some have already made the trip out west to our Island Paradise. We
had over a half dozen visits from Easterners this past year alone.
Others are thinking about coming. Some even considering a move- like
ours.
Our advice?
Tom and I would say to you to “make the change”.
The Island’s fine. Weather is too!
It’s a nice life here on our Island and a change like this feels
remarkably right and comfortable- even more so if you are retired or about to
retire.
I’d like to say thanks for reading my RobBlog.
I appreciate it. I really do.
Have a very Merry, Merry Christmas.
